The New Me
by SuijiDL
Summary: AU Sora’s mom moves him from Traverse Town to the islands in the hopes to suppress her son’s ‘tendencies’, but Sora’s not willing to give up his old life. Unfortunately, they move in next to Riku. LS RS shonenai


A/N: This story is also onAFF that's where it started out. So this one's a little behind, a lot behind. So if you read and like this, and want to read more, you can go there to read up to chapter 30 (what its currently at) Although the first three chapters of that one is chapter one here... The story here will be updated at a slower pace, sorry, but that's just the way it works.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters. Nor do I make any money off of them. The characters are property of their respective creators/companies.

The little flat over looking the stairs of the Third District was louder than usual today. Under normal circumstances the neighbors would have called the police, or come over to complain, but today they had received warning from the little flat's owner.

Although he didn't really seem the type, silent, clad in black, expressionless face, Leon's neighbors quickly found the teenager's friends were some of the rowdiest people around. Whether it was the self proclaimed ninja jumping fro the balcony into the little square below, the blond with the tattered scarf screaming drunkenly with the adamant smoker from the Gumi shop, or better yet, the other girl trying to keep everyone calm, the residents of Traverse's Towns Third District found that they hadn't really had any peace since they moved in. And quite frankly, they wouldn't nearly be so angry about all of it if it weren't for the fact that the five were constantly in the presence of one young teenager.

They had always felt that him hanging out with them was bad for his psyche; though his mother didn't seem to think that. Even though Cid, the man from the Gumi shop, drank and smoke; Yuffie, the ninja, picked fights; Cloud and Leon insisted on being either extremist in their quest to be alone or to question all authority; and Aerith, as sweet as she was, had taken to using the sixth member of this awkward band as an over sized doll. Yes, the neighbors worried night and day over poor Sora, but only the neighbor's worried.

"I'm serious," Aerith stood in front of the couch addressing the boys, "We can't drink this time. Tonight is really special. It took me forever to convince Leon's neighbor's the party wouldn't get out of hand."

"Really, Aerith, you've no right to tell me I can't drink. I'm old enough to be your father." Cid took his cigarette out and extinguished it in his usual spot, an already existing burn on the second hand couch.

"You're right, Cid. Over you I have not control. BUT! I am older then Cloud and Leon, so I'm making it a point. NO DRINKING."

Cloud scoffed, "You're only one year older than me…" and she reached out and pinched him.

"Leon shouldn't drink any way," Yuffie said, putting the finishing touches on 'Good Luck and Good Bye' banner she was hanging across the room. "He's under age. But Cloud's not."

"Yea, that's right," he nodded at Yuffie, "So technically, its just Leon and Yuffie that shouldn't be drinking."

"Really, I don't think any of us should get wasted at Sora's going away party."

"Thank you, Leon!" Aerith cheered triumphantly. "See he gets it. Now why can't you guys!"

Cloud and Cid exchanged looks. "Ok," Cid spoke up, "How about we drink, after, Sora goes to sleep." Leon let out a 'tech' of protest, but before anyone else could respond there was a knock at the door.

"Jeeze! Already…" Yuffie jumped down from her stool and ran over the door, she turned around quick to see if anyone was going to hide, but found that only Aerith had moved out of sight. She rolled her yes and threw open the door. "SORA!" She reached out and hugged the fifteen-year old in the doorway, "I'm so happy you came! Is your mom letting you stay the whole night?"

Sora choked and sputtered a bit out of breath from the bear like hug before responding with a quick nod. The ninja girl pulled him into the house where he got a decent look at the decorations for the first time.

"Hey…wait…"

"Yep! We're throwing you a farewell-slash-birthday-bash…though…I, uh, wasn't quite done with the birthday banner yet," she motioned toward the window where a banner that read 'Sweet Sixteen!' was only half hung.

Sora laughed and rolled his eyes, "Yuffie, Sweet Sixteen's are for girls…"

"So," Leon said from his place on the couch, "You dress like a girl half the time…"

Sora looked like he would have said something but the sound of Cloud getting out a laugh stopped him.

"Oh, knock it off, you guys. Sora only does that for me when I'm bored…" Aerith said moving around the couch to hug the boy. "Sorry this wasn't more of a surprise, but you know how they are," she titled her head back toward the couch.

"Hey now," Cid stood up, "Know how WE are. Aerith, you just admitted you force a fifteen-year old boy into cross dressing. And we're the ones with the problems?"

"I just like to make sure the clothes I donate will fit teenagers…its not like I make him go out of the house like that…" she looked back at Sora, who had remained mostly silent. He usually was as soon as some one brought this up.

"What about the Christmas party?" Yuffie chimed in on Cid's side.

"Now hold on…that was Leon that took him to the restaurant in First!"

Sora slowly backed away from the three arguing and made his way to Leon and Cloud, who, with Aerith out of the way, began playing a fighting game on the TV and system before them.

"What'cha guys playing?" He plopped down in between the two older boys.

"Guilty Gear XX…"

"Guilty Gear XX Isuka. To be exact," Leon nodded his head toward a box on the floor.

"Well excuse me…" Cloud muttered.

"I don't believe…CLOUD! LEON!" the three looked up to see Aerith glaring over at them, "Stop playing that game! This is Sora's going away party! Pay attention."

"Fine." Cloud dropped his controller and brought his face extremely close to Sora's and stared at him.

"Um…What are you…"

"Paying attention, duh," he responded sarcastically. Sora couldn't help but laugh. He did so even harder when Aerith pulled Cloud to his feet.

He hadn't been sure why, but he felt more at ease around this group than any other. He and his mom had only been in Traverse Town since he was eight, but in the seven years, he had manage to make this group, despite the apparent age gaps, his closest friends. Yuffie and Leon were closest to him in age at only three years older, but Cloud and Aerith were in there early twenties. And he had never really quite understood why Cid took it upon himself to look out for the lot of them but he did, even though he wasn't the greatest role model.

He sat back watching the little arguments go back and forth before he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned around to see Leon looking him in the face.

"Taking it all in before you go?" he asked.

"Eh? Well, I guess. I mean," he looked around "I don't think I'll be forgetting any of it any time soon." Sora looked around the tiny room.

"Oh? And why's that? How do you know that the place you're going it isn't better? I mean, everyone wants to get out of Traverse Town…are your feelings so different?"

"Do you know where she's taking me!" Sora's question was more a demand. "We're moving to some cruddy islands out in the middle of nowhere! NOWHERE! At least here I've got the excitement of a city. People always on the go, plenty of new faces, back allies, random bums, travelers, lights, you guys!" He leaned back in the couch, "I doubt I'll even see another teenager there, lousy place is popular as a vacation spot and old folks home…" he kicked the controller Cloud had dropped on the floor.

By now everyone was staring, neither Sora nor his mom had really bothered to share where it was they were going. They knew it'd be far from here, but in island? It did seem like a bit much.

Cid walked over and pat Sora on the head, "Hey now, don't get like that. Where ever your mom takes you, she does so because she figures it's good for you. So be grateful. I'd hate to start lumping you in with the rest of these bastards."

"Oh, we're bastards now?" Yuffie walked over, "Did you ever think maybe his mom picked such a remote location because she doesn't want him to hang out with the town drunkard and poster boy for lung cancer."

"So it's my fault? And do you think teaching him to fight might have swayed her a little?"

"You're both wrong." Cloud spoke up, "Their moving because she's afraid Aerith's deranged clothing is gonna make the kid gay…"

"Oh! Well that's it of course!" Aerith punched Cloud in the shoulder, "They're moving because she's a homophobe."

"I'm just saying…"

"Yea, Aerith. Its all you."

"Can it, Yuffie. I distinctly remember you picking out the red dress for the Christmas party!" and another argument flared up again. Sora slumped in his place on the couch. Really it was the Christmas party that started him mom worrying about him. She didn't really so much care about the dress. She cared about…

"Hey." Leon tapped him on the head. "We got you a cake. Wanna try some?"

"Um…yea sure."

They stood up and Leon lead Sora around to the couch to a door on the back wall. He opened it up and let Sora step in, he turned around one more time to watch Cid, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cloud shout it out before closing the door behind him.

The back room of Leon's place hardly seemed like a kitchen at all, it was so tiny, it was a wonder you could cook in there. There was barely any space between the wall that had the stove and sink on it and the wall where the fridge and counter was. Sora sat on the counter top that came in front of the window to avoid bumping his head on the cabinets. He watched Leon take the cake out of the fridge and set in down on the free space. He then took out two plates and began cutting.

"So, What's this place called, the Island you're going to?" He asked handing Sora a slice of cake.

"Um, I think there called the Caspa Islands. There's like…five total. We're moving to the second largest one. But I don't know its name." He took a bite. Leon stood in front of him and pondered this.

"You really don't want to go?"

"Yea." Sora took another bite.

"It can't only be because you're going to miss us, right? What's the real reason?"

"The real reason…is because, you guys know me." He set his cake on his lap. "I mean, we've learned a lot about each other in seven years. You guy's have kind of shaped my personality. What if…what if no body there understands me. Here, everyone knows me."

"And you're happy with that?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"How about because of what everyone knows you for, I mean, as a group we're pretty famous in the Third District for our quarks. We're also pretty legendary around Traverse Town…plus that little incident at our last Christmas party didn't help…"

"Yea," Sora chuckled, "You shouldn't have let me have some of that Eggnog Auron had sent Cid…"

Leon ran his hand through his hair. "We both had too much of it. It turned out pretty fun. Dancing in the snow in the First District square…"

"Singing carols for everyone who passed, playing ping-pong with that Moogle's little…um…what-cha-ma-dos-it…" Sora flushed at his horrible use of words, but Leon laughed.

"Yea, they still haven't let me back in the Mog shop since. I think he should be grateful we didn't try to take it off, just followed him around smacking it."

Sora smirked, "Yea…that was some night…" he turned and looked out the window behind him. "Too bad it came to end the way it did."

"With you grounded for a month?"

"No, with my mom catching us…on the entrance steps to the second district…"

There was a pause in the conversation. Sora had finally gotten to the event that had prompted his mother's quest for a new home. She wasn't worried about Sora's friends before. She wasn't worried about Sora's cross dressing before. However…

"Yea," Leon broke the silence, "I guess I'd look to pack up and move too if the whole town was talking about my drunken fifteen-year old in a festive red dress making out with and eighteen-year old on Christmas Eve." Leon set his cake down on the counter.

"Its not your fault…"

"Oh its not?" he opened his eyes wide with a rare look of sarcasm, "Then I guess that memory of my hand up your dress is a dream?"

Sora went pink in the face, "That's not what I meant."

"Then what? You're going to say that's not it! That's not what freaked her out! What finally made her start listening to all my nosy neighbors."

"Leon…"

"What? Ok, I'm trying to admit that I screwed up. I screwed up your life. My life. Don't think your move doesn't affect me. You've gone down as my poor unsuspecting victim, and I'm the pervert!"

"LEON!"

"Well I am…I'm the one whose legal, not you."

"But, I don't care…I mean. It's not like I was going to stop you. I wouldn't have cared if I woke up with you I the Second District hotel…or here in your house. Or anywhere…I…"

"What do you know Sora. You were drunk off your ass."

There was another break in the conversation, before Sora lightly muttered a 'So were you' at which point Leon scoffed and walked out the kitchen.

The rest had long since quit arguing. They were all sitting now, listening to the yelling in the kitchen. Despite their previous anger, they all already knew the reason Sora was moving. They didn't need to hear the shouting to tell them, or to see Leon coming storming out of his kitchen and make his was up the narrow stairs that lead to the only other room in his little flat. And they didn't need to hear Sora crying in the other room to know that Leon probably wouldn't come back downstairs.

Finally, after fifteen minutes Sora came out, a little worse for ware, but still ok. He was carrying the cake in order to offer the others a slice. They took it their share doing their best to pretend Sora's eyes weren't red and his checks weren't stained.

Aerith looked up at the group from her place on the floor, Cloud sat next to her, Cid and Yuffie on the couch with Sora and she smiled faintly. Longing to break the silence that filed the room along with the sound of cake being chewed she took a deep breath and spoke.

"Presents?"

"Yea!" Yuffie automatically loved the idea. "I'll get them, they're hidden over here." She got up and pulled a blanket off a pile in the corner, under it were four boxes. She picked up one on the bottom and brought it over the Sora. "This one's mine."

He took it from her and opened with a smirk, that became a genuine smile after he saw what it was. "A home training ninja kit?" He tried not to laugh. Really he did, but it didn't help that Cloud and Cid were already in hysterics.

"Yes-s," she hissed a little, "Its my own home made idea. It comes with instructions, ninja stars, numchucks , a head band, and some more stuff you find useful in battle."

"Battle!" Aerith cried out, "We want Sora to make new friends not new enemies!"

"Well, new places are bound to have enemies with those friends. He needs to be able to defend himself and them!"

Sora chuckled, "Thanks, Yuffie, if I run into any deadly geriatric or their grandkid, I'll know how to handle them." Yuffie beamed down at Aerith triumphantly.

"Here open mine next…" Cloud handed Sora his rather small present, but inside it was a big surprise. Sora's own PSP, to keep him occupied on the boat, it even came with some games.

Cid's gift was fitting, he bought Sora a model of the rare Chocobo Gumi Ship, a pack of candy cigarettes, and root beer flavored gummies.

Aerith's present was much more practical, she had made Sora a set of photo albums. Three to be exact, covering all seven of his years with the group in Traverse Town, but the last page of the third album was empty.

"You see," Aerith stood up and took out her camera. "That page is for tonight, and for one last picture, just before you get on the boat."

"These are great Aerith," Cloud said leaning over the couch so he could watch Cid flip through one of the albums. "Why didn't you tell us you were doing this?"

"I did! Just not directly. When you flip through there, you'll see copies of the pictures I collected from you guys."

"Yea! Here's mine of Sora and Cloud falling into the fountain in the Second District!" Yuffie leaned over to show of her photo. "But when are you gonna give it back?"

"In a bit. I'm making a set for all of us, but I had to finish Sora's first, you know?"

Cid smiled at a picture of him and Leon outside the little house they were now sitting in. "Ah moving day…What fun, eh?"

"What was fun was the moving in party," Sora said making a drinking motion.

"What are you talking about! You didn't have anything to drink then!" Aerith looked horrified to think that the guys had been slipping Sora beers that early on. But her fears soon subsided as Sora explained he made the drinking motion for Cid's sake.

The five friends spent the rest of the party laughing and flipping through the photo album. Aerith had taken a few pictures, but wanted to get so with Leon in them, so she stopped half way through. They polished off the cake around eleven and Cid broke his promis to wait for Sora to go to bed at around eleven ten. Naturally, Cloud joined in by eleven thirty and was out by midnight.

"Pfft. Baby…can't hold his alcohol." Cid nudged Cloud with his foot.

"Stop that." Aerith picked him up and spread out a blanket for him on the floor. "You shouldn't encourage him to drink anyway."

"Bah!" Cid stood up and stretched. "Well I should get home. Sleepovers are good for you kids, but I got work in the morning." He headed out the door. Sora shouted a good bye and got a grunt in return.

"Where are you two gonna sleep?" He turned to the girls.

"I can sleep next to Cloud…" Yuffie made kissy lips at Aerith and fluttered her eyes, "And fish face there can sleep in the kitchen."

"FISHFACE!" Yuffie pouted, "You're just mad cuz' you're spending the night on hells floor and not 'Cloud 9'."

"Yuffie, you keep taunting me and I'll give you a real reason to show off those ninja skills of yours."

Sora rolled his eyes at the girls and mad himself a bed on the couch. Yuffie soon turned off the light, but the room remained illuminated by the pale blue and yellow lights of the Third District. He lay facing the window, looking at the wall of the building across the way.

"Hey, Aerith…" he whispered.

"Yes, Sora?"

"Did Leon get me a present…not that I care."

"Yes, he got you something, it's probably upstairs. But I wouldn't go get it just now."

"Oh…alright." And rolled over and tried to feign sleep as best he could.

Sleep never came. He knew it wouldn't. He listened to the clock tower chime two before he decided to get up and seek out Leon. Sora carefully slipped off the couch and using the light coming through the window, maneuvered his way around his sleeping friends.

He went around to the narrow stair case up against the wall opposite the window and slowly made his way up. Of course the stairs creaked, they wanted him to get caught, but made it up without a problem. At the top of the stairs was a door, it lead to the only bed room in the house. He put his hands on the door and did his best to slowly open it without losing balance. He pushed forward lightly, listing to the door squeak in disapproval, and stepped into the room.

Leon's bedroom was the same size as the room right below it, and the bathroom was the same size as the kitchen below it. Only enough room for a desk, bed, little nightstand and chair. Sora didn't have to look hard to find Leon looking out his upstairs window. It had a little balcony, it was only big enough for one person. Leon turned around to face him, face just as emotionless as ever.

"Need something?"

"Uh…yea." Sora looked over the situation, "Bathroom?" it was he could come up with. Leon nodded and turned his attention back outside. Sora went into the bathroom and turned on the light. He opted to use it, that way he didn't completely lie, and then came back out and stood in the middle of the room.

"Need something else?" This time Leon didn't turn to face him.

"Um…I'm leaving in the morning. For my place, to finish packing."

There was no response.

"So I figured…I'd get all my gifts together now…If that's ok with you?"

Leon nodded, still looking outside, and turned around. He walked over to the bed and pulled a red box out from under it. "Here, but I don't think you'll want it."

"We'll see." Sora sat on the bed and opened the box. His heart sank a little at what was inside. "A dress? Why a dress?" He pulled it out a white dress with the shoulders cut out, trimmed in red. There were some shoes and stockings and accessories in there too, but he paid them no mind.

Leon shrugged. "When I saw it I thought about you. It looks similar to one you wore two years ago, to Yuffie's birthday party, remember?"

"Oh…well its nice. But, why do you think I won't want it."

"Because, you're going some place new. A whole new life, and whole new chance. You can drop the weight of this place and start over. Which means you can forget all the problems you've got…including," he pointed to the dress, "These problems."

"Its not a problem. So I occasionally wear something out of the ordinary! So what?" Sora put the out fit away. "I don't want to new life, or new problems. I like what I've got here, no matter how fucked up it is."

"You shouldn't curse."

He frowned and set the box aside. "You really want me to forget you don't you?"

"Maybe."

"Well, what if I can't. What if, if this place is so bad, and I hate it so much, that I have to get away from it."

"Won't happen." Sora rolled his eyes and suddenly smirked as a though occurred to him.

"Ok, I'll do it!" Leon looked over at him surprised. "I'll go along with this move, and give this island place a try. I'll try a new life, new friends, new everything, but on one condition."

"You speak as if you have a choice in the matter?"

"The condition is, that you have to write me every week. I'll start us off of course. And I'll keep you updated. If I like it there by the end of the summer, then I'll stay. If I hate it, then I'll move back."

"Again: You have a choice?" Leon leaned back on his elbows. "And even if you could move back, where would you stay?"

"Why, with you, of course."

Leon stared at Sora, his face was blank, except for the mortified look in his eyes. "Won't happen. No way your mother…No way I would let you!"

"Oh stop it! Why do you act like this? Do hate the fact that you like me, or that I like you? Who cares what your neighbors think. I turn sixteen soon and-"

"Sixteen isn't legal, nor is it considered adult and capable of living on its own!"

"But I'll be with you." Sora leaned over and rest his head on Leon's shoulder. "I'll sleep on the couch. You can lock the door at night if you're scared."

"I'm not scared."

"Then agree." There was a long pause. Sora listened to the sound of Leon's breathing and to some cat falling out of a garbage can outside. "Leon?" he whispered a little unsure.

"I agree." Leon brought his arm to rest around Sora's waist and pulled them both down to lie on the bed. "However, you have to promise me you'll give this place a fair shot."

"I promise!" Sora pulled himself up to kiss Leon on the forehead. He then snuggled up to the older teen before happily drifting off to sleep. Leon soon followed after, confident in the fact that there was no way Sora's mom would ever allow him near him again.


End file.
